Jamie Osborne ready to grasp chance to have crack off 'brilliant' France

AVIVA SHOWDOWN: Ireland back Jamie Osborne. Picture: Ben Brady/Inpho

Jamie Osborne was watching from afar the last time France visited Dublin but the Ireland back saw enough on his television screen to know he wanted a piece of the action. Two years on and he is ready to grab the experience if it comes his way on Saturday.

A try-scoring return to the green jersey in victory over Wales last time out has put the versatile 23-year-old in line for his seventh Test appearance when the French return to Aviva Stadium this weekend in search of vengeance for their 32-19 defeat in round two of the 2023 Guinness Six Nations.

Osborne had already been in Ireland camp by that stage, brought in by Andy Farrell for a taste of Test-match preparation. 

His debut cap would come 17 months later, in the cauldron of Loftus Versfeld last July when he stood in for the Olympics-bound Hugo Keenan at full-back and helped earn a series draw with world champions South Africa but he was in an armchair when Ireland met the French in a championship match for the ages. 

The home side ran out worthy winners by four tries to one but Les Bleus contributed hugely to the spectacle, with a wonder try from Damien Penaud and a heroic try-saving tackle from Antoine Dupont on Mack Hansen etched in the memory.

“I remember I was watching the game two years ago in the Aviva and that was probably one of the best games I’ve ever watched,” Osborne said. “It was end-to-end. I think the ball-in-play time was ridiculously high as well.

“I think you knew watching that those two teams at the time were probably the two best teams in the world. They’re the games you want to play in and hopefully it will be more of the same this week.” 

Keenan had scored the game’s opening try from full-back that day and is set to return to the number 15 jersey this weekend with Osborne set to make way but favourite for the outside back replacement role when interim head coach Simon Easterby names his matchday 23 at noon on Thursday.

His try in Cardiff a fortnight ago, receiving James Lowe’s athletic pass off a Jamison Gibson-Park crossfield chip-pass to the left corner, ended a spirited Welsh comeback that had been growing since Garry Ringrose’s 20-minute red card that had put them into an 18-10 lead on 44 minutes. 

Yet Osborne is keen to put right the wrongs, both personal and collective, he felt prevented Ireland from delivering a more complete performance in a 27-18 victory at Principality Stadium.

I think the team will learn from it. The first half was not how we wanted it to go. A lot of errors, including myself. 

"But I thought the way we bounced back in the second half – we were five points down with a man in the bin and we managed to find a way to get back into the game, probably not in the way that we were expecting to go out to play before the game. We went more to a bit more of a kicking game and put pressure back on them and I think we learned a lot about ourselves in that second half.” 

Osborne had already dealt with a personal setback in the first half against Wales when he botched a pass to the left wing for what looked like a nailed-on try-scoring opportunity for Ringrose. 

His look of frustration after the pass went across a stretching Ringrose into touch was a picture, but he did not allow himself to dwell on the error.

“I knew it should have been a try, so I was definitely frustrated at the time. I definitely didn’t want to let that cloud my judgement or anything for the rest of the game. There was a lot of rugby to be played after that. 

"And I wanted to come off the pitch being relatively happy with the performance so I think it’s best to drop the mistakes as soon as they happen. I was frustrated at the time but I tried my best to forget about it.

“I suppose I was pleased with some of the stuff in the second half. But when you reflect on it it could have been better. But I was relatively pleased, happy to get the win most importantly.” 

Osborne knows the challenge standing between Ireland and their objectives to complete a first Six Nations hat-trick of titles with a Grand Slam in nine days is a daunting one with France rediscovering their mojo last time out following a narrow defeat to England by running in 11 tries in a 73-24 demolition of Italy.

“I think they’re all brilliant players. (Thomas) Ramos, he’s a brilliant footballer. He plays a lot at 10 as well as 15. Has a big boot and he’s not afraid to try stuff and a lot of the time it comes off. (Louis) Bielle-Biarrey, he’s lightning quick. And Penaud, he just has a knack for beating defenders. He scores a lot of tries. Definitely look up to all of them.

“Just really looking forward to the week, I think everyone is. We know how strong they are. We know we have to be at our best to beat them. It’s a huge challenge but everyone’s really looking forward to it.”